Thursday, November 11, 2010

Shel Silverstein: Adult Style

You can never go wrong with Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, a tale about a tree who loves a boy so much that she gives him everything he needs—even if it means she's left a stump. It's a sad story, but one I always loved, as well as Silverstein's children's poetry.

However, Silverstein is more than a kiddy author, even if that's what most of us love about the late poet and illustrator. He had an adult side, too (which has nothing to do with the cartoons he did for Playboy in the late 1950s).

The show is this series of shorts (full disclosure, my husband is in a couple, and is the guy at the end of the video touching his chi-chis. Hmm. But I've heard good things, really, I have.):

"One Tennis Shoe" — Harvey claims his wife is becoming a bag lady. "Bus Stop" — Irwin stands on a corner with a "bust stop" sign. "Going Once" — A woman auctions herself. "The Best Daddy" — Lisa's daddy shot the pony he got for her birthday. "The Lifeboat is Sinking" — Jen and Sherwin play a game of Who-Would-You-Save-If—the family was drowning. "Smile" — Bender plans to punish the man responsible for the phrase "Have a nice day". "Watch and Dry" — Marianne discovers her laundry hasn't been cleaned. "Thinking Up a New Name for the Act" — Pete thinks "meat and potatoes" is the perfect name for a vaudeville act. "Buy One, Get One Free" — Hookers offer a golden opportunity. "Blind Willie and the Talking Dog" — Blind Willie's talking dog argues they could profit from his talent.